


Changes

by AnnaOnTheMoon, GottaHaveAName



Series: Broken Chains [4]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Implied/Referenced Sex, Recovery, Romance, Therapy, co-habitating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 23:11:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14436201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaOnTheMoon/pseuds/AnnaOnTheMoon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GottaHaveAName/pseuds/GottaHaveAName
Summary: Jean-Luc continues his recovery and therapy and proposes a few changes to Beverly.





	Changes

**Author's Note:**

> This is part 4 in the Broken Chain series written by GottaHaveAName and AnnaOnTheMoon. It's probably best if you read the other parts first, but in case you've forgotten the action, we last saw our couple heading off to bed together.

Jean-Luc stretched out as best as he could on the bed and winced as he got a twinge of pain near his hips.   Beverly saw his face and leaned over him. “Pain?”

“My hips a little.”  Beverly grinned sheepishly. “Sorry.”  She slid a leg over him and sat up straddling him. “I’m not.” Jean-Luc ran his hands as best as he could down Beverly’s naked body and rested them on her hips.  “But who knew you’d be so....perfect.”  Beverly laughed. “I’m far from perfect Jean-Luc, and you know it.” 

“Mm, perfect to me.”  He sat up with her in his lap and ducked his head to lightly suck on one of her nipples.  He appreciated Beverly being willing to take charge so they could make love, but that didn’t mean he wanted to lay back helpless.  Beverly let out a moan.  She reached for his hand and guided it to her other breast and he palmed it.  Beverly took his fingers and helped him to pinch her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.  She moved her hand and Jean-Luc managed a weak tug on his own.  Beverly smiled and Jean-Luc wiggled his eyebrows at her.  “So is _this_ what you meant about one on one therapy?” 

Beverly laughed. “Hmm, you have to admit, it has merit.  But no.  We still need to do some exercises.” 

“I did some with Doctor Selar earlier.” 

“I know, but you need to do more.”  Jean-Luc grinned and concentrated on pinching her harder. “You mean, like this?”

“Mmm, yes. Exactly like that.“ 

###

Jean-Luc’s stomach rumbled and Beverly laughed. “Hungry, love?”

“You did say something about lunch, didn’t you?”  Beverly snuggled against his chest and gently traced where she had made the incision the day before.  “I did.  Let me guess, soup?” Jean-Luc pretended to sigh heavily.

 “If you want me to use those infantile utensils, I will.  But only in our quarters.”  Beverly raised an eyebrow and rose up on an elbow to look at Jean-Luc’s face. “ _our_ quarters?” 

Jean-Luc grinned.  “Uhm....I meant....ours as in.....mine or yours?” 

“Jean-Luc, are you asking me to move in with you?” 

“Maybe?

“ _Jean-Luc_....”

“Alright, I am.  Beverly, we’ve spent so much time avoiding _this_ and it feels so right and I don’t want to waste any more time. Will you move in with me?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”  Beverly grinned. “I’ll move some of my things in while you’re still recovering and need someone to stay with you, but after that...we’ll see where we are, alright?  I haven’t lived with a man since...well....I barely lived with Jack, so really, I’ve never lived with a man. Well, unless Wesley counts and he had his own quarters after he turned sixteen.” 

“I...I understand. But Beverly, I want this to last.”

“I do too.” Beverly got up and reached for her dressing gown.  She grabbed Jean-Luc’s and passed it to him.  “Put this on, and see if you can tie the sash.”  Beverly made her way out of the bedroom  and Jean-Luc made an attempt at the sash.  He managed a loose loop, and was pretty pleased with himself until he left the bedroom and the gown fell open.  Beverly looked over and grinned. “I’m not complaining, but try again.” 

Jean-Luc growled but tried to get his hands to grasp the sash.  He was still working on the sash ten minutes later when Beverly carried bowls of ratatouille over to the table. “Do you want my help?”  Jean-Luc was tempted to say no, but he sighed. “Please.”  Beverly deftly tied his gown closed.  “Ok, and you’re _sure_ you don’t mind using the utensils?”  He shook his head. 

“I’m not...happy about it, but if it means I can eat....”

“Your other option is I feed you.”

“Beverly, I am not a baby. “ 

“Then, it’s settled.  Come on, hold out your hand for the fork.”  Jean-Luc sighed but held out his left hand.

Lunch took longer than it would have usually, but Jean-Luc managed to eat all of his lunch.  His challenge came when Beverly carried two cups of tea over to the sofa.  He glared at the cup.  “I don’t suppose you have a magical device for my tea?” 

“Well, I could get you a thermal mug.  It has a lid, so it would keep spillage down.” 

“Please?”

Beverly took his cup of tea back to the replicator and asked for a thermal cup.  She brought it back over and he frowned. “Beverly, this looks like a child’s sippy cup.”

“I promise, it’s not. I use one sometimes in my office when I have a lot of work to do and I don’t want my tea to go cold.”  Jean-Luc eyed the cup.  “And it won’t spill?”

“It shouldn’t.  You have to suck on the nipple to get your drink out.”  Jean-Luc grinned.  “I can think of a nipple I’d rather suck on...”  Beverly swatted him.  “Drink your tea.”

“Yes, dear.”   Beverly curled her legs up under her and picked up her cup.

“How did your therapy go this morning with Doctor Selar?” 

“Fine.”

“ _Jean-Luc.”_

“Alright, it was a little painful and I was crying by the end.”  Beverly reached out and patted his arm.  “Was that so hard to admit?”

“Honestly?  Yes.”

“Jean-Luc,  if you want this relationship to work, we’re going to have to be honest with each other.  Plus, I’m your doctor...”

“Can you be my doctor and my...partner?”  Beverly nodded. “I’ve managed so far while most of ‘fleet thought we were involved...”

“They do?”  Beverly nodded. “My love, there are betting pools on this ship for every aspect of our relationship, including marriage and babies.” 

“Babies?”  Jean-Luc tilted his head and Beverly laughed. “Oh no, don’t you start. I had a baby.” 

“With Jack.”

“Well, yes...he was my husband at the time....”

“So, marry me.” 

 _“Jean-Luc._ ” 

“Beverly...I love you... and you love me....”  Beverly sighed. “Together less than 24 hours and you want to marry me and have a baby.” 

“Too soon?”

“Yes, Jean-Luc. It’s too soon.” 

“Sorry.”  Beverly softly smiled. “Don’t be. It’s good that you....know what you want.” 

“Beverly, I’ve been in love with you for more years than I care to admit right now.”

“I’ve loved you, too. And I would be lying if I never thought about marrying you.  Just...not after only 24 hours, alright?”

“So...tomorrow then?”  Jean-Luc cheekily grinned.  Beverly picked up a throw pillow from the sofa and hit him in the face with it. “Oh you.”  Jean-Luc managed to catch her wrist in his hand in a light grip.  He forgot what he was going to do once he had her arm and he just marvelled at the fact he was gripping her wrist. 

“Bev, I’m holding your wrist.”

“You are!  And I can even feel a little pressure.  Can you squeeze it?”  Jean-Luc managed a weak squeeze.  “Hey, that’s progress!  Perhaps another hand bath in the wax will do you some good.” 

“Suppose this means we have to get dressed then and go to Sickbay?” 

“Well, at the very least, I have to go to Sickbay or ask someone to bring it here.”  Jean-Luc gestured to their attire. “But we still have to get dressed.”  Beverly pursed her lips. “Tell you what. You put on your sleep shorts under your dressing gown and I’ll put on that blue sweater you like so much.  Then, I’ll ask Alyssa to bring us the equipment, alright?” 

Jean-Luc grumbled but stood up.  “At least I can put on my shorts by myself.“

“Would you like a gold star?”

“Cheeky.”

 Beverly laughed as she pressed the comm panel in Jean-Luc’s quarters  “Crusher to Sickbay.”

_“Sickbay. Hello, Doctor. Thought you were taking the afternoon off to help the Captain?”_

“I am, Alyssa.  I’m glad you answered.  Can you do me a favour?”

_“Of course.”_

“I need you to bring the paraffin wax therapy kit to Captain Picard’s quarters.”  There was silence.  Beverly tilted her head. “Alyssa?  Are you there?”

 _“Sorry, Sir. I, ah, don’t know where the Captain’s quarters are.”_ Beverly grinned . “Deck 8.” 

 _“And you’re_ sure _you want me to bring the equipment?”_

“Yes, Alyssa.  I, and more importantly, the Captain, trust you.”

 _“I’ll be there right away.  Ogawa out.”_ Beverly laughed to herself and headed to the bedroom to change.  She found Jean-Luc struggling with the buttons on his pyjama top and she reached for them and buttoned them.  “You could have just put on your dressing gown again.  Alyssa wouldn’t have minded.”  Jean-Luc frowned.  “It’s bad enough a member of the crew will see me in my night clothes.  I’d rather not look indecent.” 

“Jean-Luc,  I’ve seen you in your pyjamas, Deanna has seen you in your pyjamas, Will, Wes....”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“You’re my.....and Deanna and Will are practically family....and Wes is like a son to me...” Beverly’s face brightened.

“He is?”  Jean-Luc reached out and took Beverly’s hands in his, loosely.  “He is.  Beverly, you have to know.  I’ve been so proud of all that Wesley has accomplished.  A few times I caught him wanting to call me dad and stopping himself and I wish that he had.  Do you know, he accompanied me when I had my heart replaced?”  Beverly nodded, recalling the panicked message her son had sent about being on a shuttle with the Captain for 13 hours.  “We really bonded on that trip.  He told me I would have made a good father and that was when I realised that I _was_ a father to Wes...I only hope I’m not too late to tell him.”  

“No, you’re not,”  Beverly smiled at Jean-Luc while she got dressed. Jean-Luc reached out and grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back against his chest and he nuzzled her neck.  “Hey, quit that or Alyssa will see a part of our life we really _don’t_ want to share!” 

“Mm, not sharing this.  I love you, Beverly.”  Beverly laughed as she pried his arm off her waist.  “I love you too.  Now let me get dressed!” 

“But I don’t have anything to do.”

“Read one of your books?” 

“Can’t turn the pages.” 

“Can you hold a PADD?  Read on a PADD.” Jean-Luc made a face.  “But that’s so....cold, and unfeeling.”

“Luddite.”

“Mm, tell me again how you feel about the EMH?”  Beverly rolled her eyes. “Point taken. But I _need_ to get dressed before Alyssa gets here.” 

“Fine,”  Jean-Luc settled onto the bed. “I’ll watch.” Beverly shook her head and rummaged in her bag for some clean underwear. “You know, I can empty a drawer for you.”  Beverly raised her eyebrows. “Ok, _you_ can empty a drawer...two?” 

“Half.”

“Half?”

“If you expect me to live here...you need to share the dresser and closet evenly.”   Jean-Luc’s face brightened.  “So you _will_ move in with me?”

“Probably.”  Beverly moved into the bathroom to brush her teeth and stuck her head out. “That’s a point. Do you need help brushing your teeth?” 

“I used mouthwash.”  Beverly shook her head. “I suppose that will do for today, but if you can’t grip a toothbrush tomorrow, I’m doing it for you.” 

The chime at the door went off. “That’ll be Alyssa and I’m not even dressed yet. You’ll have to let her in.”  Jean-Luc grumbled about not knowing what to say to the young nurse as he left the bedroom.

“Come.”  Alyssa was pushing a cart filled with all the items Beverly would need for his hand therapy. “Oh good, the torture devices have arrived.”  Alyssa tried to hide her smile.  “Good afternoon, Captain.”

“Afternoon, Nurse Ogawa. Beverly is...getting dressed.” 

“I see.  Would you like me to set up the wax therapy?”  Jean-Luc sighed. “If you must.”

“Where would you like it?”

“Now that, Nurse Ogawa, is a loaded question.” 

“Stop badgering my head nurse,” Beverly appeared in the doorway to the bedroom running a brush through her hair.  “I’m not.”

“You are. Be nice.”  Alyssa couldn’t help herself and her face broke out in a grin.  Beverly surveyed the living room. “Ah, why don’t we set it up next to your recliner? Then you can sit back and relax.” 

“If that’s what you think is best.”

“I do.  Just leave it with Alyssa and I for a few minutes and we’ll let you know when it’s ready.”  Jean-Luc sat down on the sofa and crossed his arms.  Beverly turned to Alyssa and rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t know the Captain could be so ornery,” Alyssa whispered.

“Oh, he is.  You just have to know how to handle him when he’s in one of his moods.” Alyssa raised her eyebrows at her superior. “I suppose you know how to handle him?”

“I...ah... _Alyssa!_ ” Beverly’s cheeks flushed pink. 

“Sorry, Sir.”  Beverly could only grin back.  “Come on over, Jean-Luc. We’ve got it ready for you.”   Jean-Luc submerged his hands in the warm wax and smiled. “You know, I think I can actually feel a little more of the heat now.”

“Good!”  Beverly turned to Alyssa. “You don’t need to stay.  Unless someone else needs this equipment, we might as well leave it here.  I think the Captain is going to need daily sessions for quite a while.” Jean-Luc frowned at this proclamation. “Thank you, Nurse Ogawa.”

“You’re welcome Captain, Doctor.  If you need anything else....”

“I’ll let you know.”

“Beverly, am I really going to need to do this daily?” 

“I’m sorry, Jean-Luc.  Being hung from your arms plus the restraints on your wrists has done quite a lot of damage.”

“What about surgery?”

“It’s a possibility, but I wanted to try to strengthen your wrists first to hopefully give you a shorter recuperation time.”

“Can you declare me fit for duty?”    Beverly frowned. “I’d rather not, why?”

“I just want to get Jellico off my ship.”  Beverly grinned. “I’d like to see the backside of him, too.  Alright, we can declare you fit for duty just long enough to get Jellico off....but then I expect you to transfer command to Will. Is that understood?” 

“Yes.”

“If you don’t....I’ll remove you from duty myself.”  Jean-Luc grinned. “Bev, come here.”

“I am here.” 

“No. Here, here.”  Beverly smiled and lowered herself onto his lap.  “Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes.  Now bring your lips here.” 

“My, you’re being very demanding....”  She ran her fingers through the fringe on either side of his head. 

“Mm, don’t do that to me, woman.”

“Do what?” 

“Turn me on.”  Beverly grinned and lightly ran a finger down his jaw.  “Why ever not?”  Jean-Luc growled.  “Because I can’t bloody do anything with my hands stuck in bowls of wax, now can I?” 

Beverly laughed and leaned forward to kiss him.  “Better?”

“Yes.” 

“Hmm.  I had better get out that form.”  Beverly rose off his lap and turned towards his desk.  “You know Beverly, I really hate that we have to tell command about our relationship.”

“I know, but it’s in the regulations...’if two senior officers....’”  She sighed.  “I suppose it makes it even trickier since you’re my direct superior and I have the power to remove you from duty.”  She bit her lip.  “Maybe...maybe we wait, just a little longer.  Until we can be a united front to prove to the admiralty that we can do this?” 

“Fine with me, but I’m not waiting to do _that_ again.”  Beverly grinned. “Me neither.” 

They lapsed into silence and when Beverly glanced over at Jean-Luc ten minutes later, she saw that he had fallen asleep.  She smiled and kissed his forehead.  “Back before you notice I’m gone.” 

Beverly returned to her own quarters and looked around.  She had told Jean-Luc ‘maybe’ on moving in with him, but if she was honest with herself, she didn’t really need to think about it at all.  Of course she wanted to move in with him.  It was a huge decision, but it made sense. They both had demanding positions and co-habitating would mean the chance to see each other more often, even if it was just to sleep next to each other in bed.  “Some of this has got to go.” She would need some crates to move with, but she could do that later.  For now, she pulled out a case from the bottom of her closet and laid it on her bed. She tossed in more clothing  and added the afghan her nana had knitted, a few PADDs with the plays she was currently reading,  and a framed photograph of Wesley.  She also threw in her slippers and her favourite faded terry cloth robe.  _If Jean-Luc can’t love me at my worse...then again, he’s seen me in worse than a faded robe, and probably saw me in that same robe when Wes was a baby._ She started to think about babies. 

Could she have another baby?  She could. She wasn’t too old for it to happen naturally, or they could use assisted fertilisation.  But did she want to go through all of it again?  The diapers, the 3AM feedings, teething, walking, raising another teenager....she sighed.  On the other hand, this time she _would_ have help.  She wasn’t going to agree to have a baby unless Jean-Luc agreed to co-parent  one hundred percent.  She smiled to herself as she remembered Jean-Luc awkwardly holding Wesley when he was a baby. He pretended not to like children, but he had always had a soft spot for Wesley.

Did she want to get married?  These days, you didn’t need a wedding ceremony to be committed to someone else.  Even though she had already had one wedding, Jean-Luc had never experienced one, and she wasn’t about to deny him that just because she had been married before.  But would she change her name?  She was already well-known in professional circles as Crusher,  but Crusher belonged to Jack.  Did she want to be Doctor Beverly Picard?  She spoke the name outloud and grinned.  It certainly sounded nice.  She closed up the case with a final click.  Everything else she would deal with later.

When she returned, Jean-Luc was still sleeping, so Beverly gently removed his hands from the wax and wrapped them in the cloths from the day before.  She folded his arms across his chest and gave him another kiss on his forehead before she carried her case into the bedroom.  She tugged open the drawers and started re-arranging them to make room for her clothing.  She grinned.  Jean-Luc was certainly in for a surprise when he woke up. 

She placed Wesley’s picture on the desk and tossed Nana’s afghan over the back of the sofa.  The PADD with her current play went onto the bedside table, and the others she left on the desk.  She grinned to herself.  _Let’s see how long it takes Jean-Luc to notice._

Beverly glanced at the clock, and decided it was time to wake up the sleepyhead and work on his hand exercises.  She gently shook his shoulder. “Jean-Luc?”

“Mmph?”

“Wake up, my love. You’ve been napping. It’s time to take the wax off your hands.”

“I do not nap.”

“No?  So then the snoring I heard was...?”  Beverly grinned.

“The cat?”

“Jean-Luc, we don’t have a cat.” 

“We should get a cat.”  Beverly gave her lover a strange look. “Ok.  I’m not opposed to the idea.  I love cats, but what’s brought this on?” 

“Maman always said a house was not a home without a cat. Of course, we had five.”

 _“Five?_ ”

“Well...Robert and I each had a kitten. We didn’t know they would have kittens of their own....”

“I see. Well, I don’t think we have room for five, but I think we could manage one.”  Beverly gently peeled the wax off his hands.

“Are you going to make me put my hands in ice water again?” Beverly laughed.  “I’m sorry.  But it _is_ part of the therapy.”

“I like the part that comes after the ice.”  Beverly laughed and had him dunk his hands in the ice water several times.  “Can you feel the ice?”

“I feel cold.”  Beverly nodded. “Good.  You can take them out now.”  Beverly gently dried his hands and massaged them.  “How does that feel?” 

“Mm, don’t stop.” 

Beverly lead Jean-Luc through some hand exercises before passing him what looked like a rubber ball.  “I want you to squeeze this ball.  Whenever you aren’t doing something else, try to give your hands a work out.  We want to strengthen those fingers.”   She winked.

Dinnertime was looming, and Beverly decided they would have soup again just to give Jean-Luc’s hands a break after his therapy.  “Tomorrow, we get in the therapy pool again.”

“We?”

“Yep.  I thought I might help you.”  He grinned. “I’d like that.”

“But no funny business.  We’ll be in Sickbay!” 

“Couldn’t we use one of the holodecks?”  Beverly thought for a minute. “I suppose so...let me think about it.  Now, why don’t we get you in the shower and changed into some fresh pyjamas for bed?” 

“Are you showering with me?”

“No.  I want to see if you can do it yourself.  But call me if you need me.” He pouted.  “But it’s more fun with you....please?”

“Alright then.” 

Jean-Luc walked into the bedroom and opened the top drawer expecting to close his hand around a clean pair of pyjamas.  To his surprise, he had picked up a pair of lacy knickers.  He raised his eyebrows.  “Something you’d like to tell me, Bev?”

“Nope.”


End file.
